


reflect on it

by EspeciallyMegan



Category: Youtube RPF
Genre: Eventual Smut, Growing Up, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Rating May Change, Self Confidence Issues, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-22
Updated: 2016-10-22
Packaged: 2018-08-23 02:28:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8310223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EspeciallyMegan/pseuds/EspeciallyMegan
Summary: Mark talks to the man in the mirror.





	

**Author's Note:**

> maybe i'll finish this? who knows ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯  
> rating is gonna change later on bc you know me. im going to add smut lmao
> 
> it's all unbeta'd so please point out any mistakes!! :^)

**January 4th, 2006**

Mark awoke at six in the morning and stumbled into the ensuite bathroom with blurry vision, putting on his glasses and letting his eyes adjust. He blinked a few times before reaching up and rubbing away the yellowish crust stuck between his eyelashes, glancing at his reflection in the mirror and sighing in defeat. The acne cream still hadn't worked- maybe he hadn't applied enough of it. Or maybe he used too much? He didn't know.

The gross red spots stuck out like measles, some with big, white heads on them and Mark almost gagged at the sight. His doctor specifically told him not to squeeze them but he wanted to so badly. Mark gripped hard onto the edge of the sink to stop himself. He shut his eyes and sighed once more.

"Acne, huh?"

Mark's eyes shot open. He'd heard a voice- one he'd never heard before- and he definitely wasn't dreaming.

"I can tell you about some stuff that makes it clear up, if you'd like." The voice spoke.

Mark looked up at the mirror with wide eyes. He saw his mirror image staring back at him.

Then... he saw another person behind him.

Mark felt a chill shoot down his spine. He cautiously turned his head around to see the boy behind him. He wasn't there.

"This is... a dream..." Mark muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose and blinking hard. The boy in the mirror wore a look of despair.

"I wish."

The half-Korean boy simply shook his head and left the room, a cry of _"Don't go! Come back, please!"_ muffled by the bathroom door as he shut it behind him. He had a long day ahead of him.

* * *

**January 20th, 2006**

"How long are you going to ignore me for?"

Mark had avoided talking to the mysterious boy for a little over two weeks now. Despite the obvious cold shoulder, the man in the mirror had greeted him with a small smile and a casual "hey" every time Mark walked into his ensuite. However, when he asked the question, both his face and voice were full of disdain.

Mark exhaled heavily through his nose. "You don't exist." he muttered, picking his glasses up and pushing them onto his face. When he glanced in the mirror, he saw the boy look at him with teary eyes.

"I do exist!" the boy protested, voice quivering. "I really do! Please, I swear I'm real-" he was cut off by his own small hiccup before continuing. "I swear. I just want to help."

"Help with what?"

"With you." the mystery boy wiped his eyes on one long sleeve. "Sorry, that sounded kinda mean, didn't it? I meant, you're not very confident. I want to help you out. So please, just give me a chance..."

Mark was taken aback. Sure, he knew his self-confidence was lacking, but- was it _that_ obvious? He cringed internally before speaking. "You got a name?"

"Of course I do?" The boy raised an eyebrow as if it were a trick question. "My name's Jack. Yours?"

"Mark." the bespectacled boy stated simply.

"Cool. Nice to meet you, Mark," the boy- _Jack-_ gave him a broad, warm smile.

Mark sighed and wondered just what he was getting himself into.

* * *

**February 21st, 2006**

Mark learned a lot about Jack over the space of a month.

He was seventeen as of two weeks ago, came from Ireland and was the youngest of five siblings. He knows how to play the drums, loves video games, has always wanted to get his ears pierced. Swears often, but has a warm heart and always sees ways to strive for improvement.

"You play an instrument, Mark?" Jack asked the other boy after school that day. The Irish boy had a never-ending love for music, also. "Even if it's something really simple, like the recorder or something."

Mark chuckled, pressing down on his left forearm which randomly began to ache. "The recorder? Don't insult me." he smiled. "I play trumpet, though."

"Trumpet, huh? Sounds cool. You'll have to play something for me sometime." Jack smiled back at the other boy.

Mark gave a warm smile back. "Sure."

He went to school happy knowing he had made a new friend.

* * *

**May 2nd, 2006**

Mark gagged at his own reflection. One of the spots on his forehead had burst and was leaking a disgusting white pus. He grabbed a fresh toilet roll from the cupboard under the sink and tore off two sheets, folding them over each other and beginning to dab at his spot.

In the mirror, Jack peered over Mark's shoulder and winced. "Yikes," he muttered. "looks nasty."

Mark's nose twitched. "Yeah, it's super gross." he threw the paper into the toilet and something clicked in his head. "Hey, didn't you say you knew how to get rid of it?"

Jack furrowed his brows and thought to himself for a moment. "I think I did say that, yeah. One of my sisters had acne once and she used this one brand of cream. It was called... Tiny Box? Something like that."

"Can't say I've heard of it." Mark frowned. "Some sort of Irish-only brand?"

"Don't know. You might be able to find it on the internet, if it's not in a shop. It wasn't that expensive. It's something like..." Jack trailed off and thought for a moment, counting on his fingers. "What's twelve euro in American money?"

Mark simply shrugged. "I'll ask my mom if she can get some." he said, and smiled at Jack. "You're a lifesaver, Jack. Thank you."

Jack's cheeks suddenly dusted pink and he scratched his head in embarassment. "Ah, it was nothing. I'm always here for you, anyway."

The other boy pushed the flusher on the toilet, smiled into the mirror one more time and left the room. As soon as the door clicked shut, Jack clutched his hands to his chest and wrung them so hard it left red, finger-shaped marks.

_"Always."_

**Author's Note:**

> comments are always appreciated! i might not always reply but i do read all of them :^)


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